the holiday
by theonewhosawitall
Summary: merlin and arthur have been reunited for a year or so, and have decided to go on holiday to a sleepy town. arthur, for some reason, is being extra sappy.
1. Arivals

Merlin and Arthur pulled up outside the little cottage with a slanted thatched roof and pink walls in Arthur's four door black 67 Chevy impala. The sun was setting over the mountains in the distance, and painting the sky with a golden brush.

"Why did you want to go on holiday again?" merlin asked as he opened the boot.

"Because you've been stressed, and Gwaine's annoying and the boss has given me a week off!" Arthur explained as he unlocked the door, "so I thought, where's your favourite place outside of Camelot?! And here we are!"

Merlin hid his smile. It filled him with a warm and tingling sensation when Arthur remembered the simple things like this. His heart lifted and a smile curled on his lips even if he didn't want it to.

They had only been here before once. When their car broke not long into their official relationship. It was a sweet little village. No one know them but everyone remembered their last visit. They were happy, accepting welcoming kind people in this village. More liberal than people in the city, or even their home town. It had a lake on the other side of the forest under the mountain with beautiful waterfalls cascading from them. There was a river winding from it around the fields and farms. There were cows in the fields, and ducks, and sheep and babies as it was spring. There were country lanes moving with the land. There was a large hill, with a large tree underneath which Arthur had kissed merlin for the first time. It was a peaceful place. Exactly how he had imagined where he would have gone all those times he wanted to leave Camelot. Complete with the charming old lady in the old stone cottage who baked snacks and brought them to each house for free because she enjoyed spreading happiness.

Merlin shut the car boot. Arthur caught Merlin's bright blue eyes with his own matching coloured. "Come on in, I just got the fire started!" Arthur smiled. The sweet smell and familiar crackle of burning Wild cherry wood welcomed merlin into the quaint cottage. Merlin immediately walked through to the bedroom.

He was pleased to see the bed hanging from ropes still tied up. Merlin lept on it, and it swung. "A rocking bed, the sound of a crackling fire, and wild cherry wood burning? I love it here!" Arthur announced as he walked in. "it's perfect here. Let's never leave!" merlin said.

"It's not perfect yet!" Arthur said. Merlin looked up at him and gave him an unconvinced look. Then it became a smile because merlin was just too happy. "Now it's perfect!" Arthur smiled. Merlin shook his head laughing. "You're such a flatterer!" merlin laughed.

Later that night, Merlin and Arthur laid on the grass staring up at the stars piercing every available space of the dark cloudless to twinkle above them. They held hands as they did. "You see up there? That group right by the moon? Sort of like a dragon?" the raven haired merlin said pointing up, "that's the Pendragon constellation!" he said.

"Really?!" Arthur asked tilting his head slightly. A half smile curled on his pink lips.

"I don't know. Probably not. Should be though!" merlin admitted. Arthur burst into laughter. Merlin joined in. "hey, let's go on a picnic tomorrow!" Arthur suggested. "We'll go up to the tree on the hill!" he said.

"Why not then!" merlin smiled.

"It's beautiful here!" Arthur sighed contently. Merlin saw the chance for a really cheesy line, and he decided to take it anyway! "Anywhere with you is beautiful!" he said. Arthur laughed and agreed that it was the cheesiest line he'd ever heard.

Merlin fell asleep being cuddled close to Arthur and rocked by the bed. He felt warm and safe and happy. Especially to know the next morning he would wake up, and spend all day with the man he loved. Even if he hadn't said the actual words yet!


	2. Picnic

Merlin stood at the top of the hill, under the blossoming tree looking out over the country side. The sun glinted off of the river, and the brightly painted bridge lit up too. The cars were stuck behind a herd of sheep and lambs on the winding country lanes. Their little pink holiday cottage was shining up against the green around it.

"Beautiful isn't it?" he called to Arthur. Arthur placed down the woven basket on the blanket Merlin had laid out. He looked up to the raven haired boy whose skin almost glowed in the sun. "Radiant!" he agreed.

Merlin turned around to see his blonde boyfriend giving him a stupid grin. "Not me! The view! It's gorgeous here in the spring!" he said. Arthur shrugged and put his arms around Merlin's waist keeping his grin fixed firmly on his lips. "You're still more gorgeous!" he said. Merlin rolled his blue eyes with a slight smile.

Merlin pushed Arthur away gently, and went to unpack the picnic basket. Arthur looked out over the town with a smile. Merlin found that in the sun, Arthur's hair shone gold and his skin glowed slightly. Even without his armour he shone. "You know, the town maybe beautiful from there but it's no match on the view I have back here!" merlin smiled.

Arthur turned around, and Merlin flicked his gaze up to his face. "Were you just checking me out?" he asked. "Maybe!" merlin stated. Arthur laughed.

Arthur sat back, leaning against a tree as Merlin cut the pie. He watched the knife pierce the crust. "How long have you waited for me merlin?" Arthur asked. Merlin shrugged like he'd lost count along the way. "But you still use what you learned as a servant? And no one believes you have magic?" Arthur continued. Merlin shrugged again. "Over a thousand years. You waited all this time merlin?" Arthur asked.

"And I'd do it again! Always!" he said.

"You won't have to merlin. Not If I have my way!" Arthur said.

Arthur went quiet. "Cream?" merlin asked. There was no reply. "Arthur? Cream with your pie?" he asked again. There was again no reply. Merlin turned around. Arthur had gone! "Arthur? Arthur?" merlin called, "ARTHUR?!" merlin's heart almost stopped. Where had his beloved vanished to?!

"Up here clot pole!" Arthur called from the branches in the trees. Merlin looked up and sighed relieved. "I thought I'd lost you again for a second there!" merlin said. Arthur apologised as he climbed higher. Merlin watched him for a minute. "Arthur what are you doing?" merlin asked.

Arthur stopped climbing and reached off of a branch to something hidden from merlin by pink blossoms. "Ah! Well, there was a blossom up here that looks beautiful and was grown just for you I think!" Arthur called.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with the ones lower down?" he asked curiously, "they have to be safer! Less of a risk to you falling and breaking your neck!" merlin added.

"Yes but this one is especially for you!" Arthur said. He was straining to get it. He laughed victoriously and held it in his mouth as he climbed back down. "That is no blossom!" merlin smiled. Arthur laughed as he removed the green thorn less stem of the blood red rose from his lips. "No it's not, but still yours!" Arthur bowed slightly as he offered it to merlin. Merlin smiled as he took it.

"You're an idiot Arthur!" merlin smiled at the ground as he twirled the rose in his hand. Arthur nodded. "I'm may be an idiot, but I'm your idiot!" he said.


	3. Let's get a hot air balloon!

Merlin laid back on the blanket to look at the clouds. Arthur laid besides him after finishing his slice of pie. Merlin laughed at the mess all over Arthur's mouth. There were crumbs clinging to his face, and hair, and falling down his top. Merlin picked up a napkin and wiped Arthur's mouth for him. "You Mucky puppy!" Merlin smiled as he folded the napkin up and threw it back into the basket. "Woof!" Arthur smiled back. Merlin rolled his eyes and Arthur stole a kiss from him.

Merlin laid back down and Arthur snuggled by beside him. Merlin pointed to a large fluffy cloud. "I think that cloud is actually a teddy bear!" he smiled. Arthur tilted his head and smiled slightly. He smiled. "I think you're actually a teddy bear as well!" merlin said squeezing Arthur closer to him.

"Over there! I see a fluffy kitten. Like you!" Arthur said pointing up. Merlin laughed. Merlin pointed too. "I see an octopus fighting a ship!" he said. Arthur nodded laughing slightly as he did.

Merlin caught Arthur looking at his phone. "Everything alright?" he asked curiously. Arthur locked his phone and slid it into his jean's pocket. "Yep. I see a ship over there about to set sail!" Arthur said pointing up again.

"Your ship just became a cannon Arthur!" merlin laughed. Arthur nodded laughing in agreement. "Yes, yes it did!" he said. Merlin leaned into Arthur like a pillow, and Arthur put his arm around Merlin. Merlin sighed contently.

"See that plane?!" Arthur said pointing up at a skywriter plane, "the pilot's name is Dave!" Merlin picked his head up to look at Arthur's face. "How do you know that then?" merlin asked.

A knowing grin crossed Arthur's face. "Because I hired him to write a message to you!" Arthur said. Merlin looked up at the message wisping out over the blue sky.

_I love you my merlin!_

He smiled half of him didn't believe his eyes. "No one's ever done anything like this for me before!" he sighed happily. "Well I'm someone, and you're my everyone!" Arthur said. Merlin blushed slightly and looked down.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it?" Arthur asked concerned "I meant it to show how much I love you!" Arthur sounded a little upset and ashamed of himself now. Merlin grabbed his collar, pulled him in, and kissed his boyfriend.

"I love you too you idiot!" he whispered.

Arthur smiled his light blue eyes filling with adoring love. Merlin sat up and stared up at the message in the sky. Arthur was sure he was doing the right thing now. Though he was getting nervous that merlin wouldn't agree.

"Come on! I hired a hot air balloon!" Arthur grinned. Merlin smiled up at Arthur as he stood up. "You've got every second of this holiday planned out already don't you!" merlin grinned. Arthur offered merlin a hand up. "Only today and possibly tonight!" he said.


	4. Forget me not

The balloon was a stripy yellow and red one with a roaring fire above them. When they stepped in, the bottom of the basket was covered in rose petals. They climbed into the air. Arthur kept his gaze on Merlin. The wonder filled smile was much prettier than the view in his opinion. Arthur noticed that they were coming to the part of their journey that he needed them to pause on. So he tilted the direction leaver to stop them from going so fast.

"Merlin? Will you love me for the rest of my life? Until the day I die?" Arthur asked as he reached for the bottle of Campaign at the bottom of the basket.

"No Arthur," Merlin stated without turning around, "I'll love you for the rest of _my_ life, until the day _I_ die!"

Arthur smiled widely. He took a deep breath, and began to feel a little nervous. But he was more excited than he ever had been for anything before!

Arthur popped open some Campaign and Merlin jumped a little. He turned to see Arthur's stupid grin and couldn't help but smile. Arthur poured the clear yellow liquid into two glass flutes. Merlin reached for one, but Arthur pulled it back. "First, look over there!" he smiled.

Merlin's eyebrows dipped in curiosity, and he smiled as he turned. There in a field of rose bushes, grew blue forget-me-nots. They were Merlin favourite flower for many reasons.

they matched his eye colour

they matched Arthur's eye colour

they were the majority of flowers that Merlin saw alone with Arthur in Camelot

They reminded him of Arthur so merlin could forget him not!

They meant true love

The blue flowers curled around the red roses in such a way that they had to be man-made. Merlin's heart stopped and he really couldn't believe his eyes this time! The forget-me-nots spelled out:

_Marry me?_

Merlin felt Arthur gently push the flute into Merlin's hand. There was a clink as he brought it to his lips. Merlin looked in it, and sparkling at the bottom, was a beautiful diamond studded engagement ring! Merlin covered his mouth with his hand in surprise. He turned around to see Arthur down on one knee!

"Merlin, I love you. You're gorgeous, hilarious, intelligent, beautiful, ridiculous, fun, cheeky, and all I want in life. You waited for me for so many hundreds for years. Now, will you do me the honor, of being by my side forever?!" he asked.

Merlin covered his mouth with both hands as his eyes filled with joyful tears. "Yes! Yes Arthur I will!" he said, his voice breaking! He flung his arms around Arthur's neck and kissed him hard. Arthur smiled delighted. He brushed his head against Merlin's and reached for his hand. "Well then Merlin! together for ever!" he smiled kissing Merlin's hand, "i cant wait!"

Arthur put his arms around Merlin as Merlin leaned on his chest looking down at the flowers. He looked at the glinting ring on his finger, and the message in the flowers, and in the sky. He touched the rose. He thought of the cottage, and the wood. He'd put in so much effort in this holiday. Merlin let a smile curl on his lips. Idiot or not, Arthur was the best boyfriend in the world. Merlin new he would never want another!


End file.
